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does ne1 know if theres a seperate # for overpayment issues?? i got a letter saying i owe $4200 back and i NEED to talk to someone!!
Just wanted to update - I called 43 times this morning starting exactly at 8:00 am and FINALLY got through to someone at 8:37. The rep was actually super helpful and fixed my issue in 10 minutes. So keep trying!!!
My nephew went through something sort of similar last year but it was for a different reason than medical, his car broke down and he couldn't get to work for a few days and they fired him. But anyway his OAH hearing was scheduled after about 5 weeks and then it was another 3 weeks until the actual hearing happened. He ended up losing his case though because they said transportation issues aren't a qualifying reason. But medical issues are totally different so you should be fine I would think especially if you have all the documentation like you said.
You're right that medical issues and transportation issues are treated very differently under unemployment law. Medical issues with proper documentation can qualify as good cause for missing work, while transportation problems generally don't unless there were truly extraordinary circumstances beyond normal car troubles.
anybody else feel like the whole system is designed to frustrate us into giving up? like why should it take 2+ months to get a hearing for something this straightforward? not everyone can wait that long without income
EXACTLY!!! That's what I've been saying. The entire system is RIGGED against workers. They WANT you to give up so they don't have to pay you what you're legally entitled to. It's all about saving money for the state, not helping people who paid into the system. It's disgusting.
There's definitely room for improvement in the system, but the delays are often due to the sheer volume of cases. OAH processes appeals for many state agencies, not just ESD. While it doesn't help your immediate situation, many appeals are successful - about 30-40% of denials get overturned when appealed, which shows the system does work, albeit slowly.
Getting through to ESD to ask this kind of question is practically impossible these days. I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone about a similar issue last month. Their phone lines are constantly busy, and when I finally got through, I was on hold for over 2 hours before being disconnected! I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an ESD representative. They have this service that basically waits on hold for you and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ?si=26TzE_zGms-DODN3 This is definitely a question where you want an official answer from ESD rather than risking your appeal over advice from the internet (no offense to anyone here).
dont 4get that u also gotta do the job search requirements, its like 3 activities a week in washington. dunno what arkansas requires but make sure u keep track of everything!
One more important thing to consider - once you determine which state to file in, you'll need to make sure you're following that state's weekly claim filing and job search requirements. Washington requires 3 job search activities per week that you must document and be ready to present if audited. They can deny benefits retroactively if you haven't been maintaining proper job search records. Also, when you apply with Washington ESD, be completely transparent about your Arkansas residency. Trying to hide that fact could lead to an overpayment determination later if they discover it.
I appreciate all the advice everyone! I'm going to check with HR first thing tomorrow about where they've been reporting my wages, and then file my claim with the appropriate state. I'll definitely be upfront about my living situation and make sure I follow all the job search requirements. Hopefully the process goes smoothly, but it's good to know about options like Claimyr if I run into trouble reaching ESD. I'll update here once I get things figured out in case it helps someone else in the future.
Omar Hassan
Update: I took several of your suggestions and have progress to report! I visited my local WorkSource office yesterday and they confirmed my claim is in adjudication due to "employment separation issues" - apparently my employer didn't respond to ESD's initial inquiry. The WorkSource staff couldn't fix it directly, but at least now I know what's happening. I also reached out to my state representative's office by email. Not giving up on trying to reach ESD directly. Thank you all for the help and suggestions!
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Sean Doyle
That's great progress! Now that you know it's an employer response issue, you can be more specific when you do reach an ESD agent. Make sure to keep filing your weekly claims while this gets sorted out. The good news is that once your adjudication is complete (assuming it's decided in your favor), you'll receive all back benefits for the weeks you've claimed. One additional tip: If you can locate any documentation about your separation (layoff notice, emails, etc.), have those ready to provide if asked. This can sometimes speed up the adjudication process.
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Omar Hassan
•Thank you! I actually found the layoff notice email from my employer with the budget cut explanation, so I'll have that ready. Still trying to get through on the phone but at least I feel less in the dark now.
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